Search found 322 matches

by JJF
19 May 2015, 10:50pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Getting your bike to Harwich for the ferry
Replies: 7
Views: 1874

Re: Getting your bike to Harwich for the ferry

Travel from Lpool St to Harwich in nowhere near as difficult as you imagine.

Their policy says 4 bikes per train but it simply means that in certain carriages there are tip-up seats where bikes can be placed. It's quite possible you will find people sitting there. It is entirely normal to get on the train and park bikes in the "foyer" on the opposite side to where you got on. You have to keep an eye on them because the platform at the next station might be on that side. There are no bike reservations. Last year when dozens of cyclists were travelling into London there were lots of bikes but no problems

The only restriction on bikes is that you can't take them into or out of London in the rush hour.

The trains involving a a change at Manningtree are inter-city. They are less convenient because you have to change platforms via stairs and because you have to leap out of the train at Manningtree and rush to recover your bike before the train continues its journey.

I hope this helps.

From where are you proposing to cycle to Lpool St?
by JJF
25 Apr 2015, 8:00pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: 1st tour advice
Replies: 11
Views: 4471

Re: 1st tour advice

The tour you have described looks ok to me.

It's often recommended to do a short trial tour before setting out on a first tour. It can be quite near home....say a couple of nights with the kit you intend to take later. It gives the opportunity to refine your ideas about luggage etc.
by JJF
8 Apr 2015, 8:43pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: How do I get to St Malo from US?
Replies: 28
Views: 4152

Re: How do I get to St Malo from US?

There is a ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo.
My copy of European Rail (and ferry) Timetable (formerly produced by Thomas Cook) doesn't show any ferries from Weymouth now.

There is a small airport at Dinard which is very near to St Malo. You would need to research how to fly there from UK. There might not be flights from Heathrow. Your suggestion of going via Paris seems more likely.
by JJF
3 Apr 2015, 8:17pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: London to Paris
Replies: 7
Views: 3438

Re: London to Paris

In this thread gaz said "Eurostar does not take full size solo bikes."
You can't wheel a bike onto the train with you but there is a bike service.

Here is a short extract from "the man in seat 61".

Taking bikes to Paris, Brussels or Lille by Eurostar...
Option 1: Take it with you for £30 using one of the special bike spaces on board Eurostar: You can pre-book one of the bike spaces on the same Eurostar as you for £30 each way ..... First buy your own Eurostar tickets in the normal way, then call Eurostar's baggage line on 0844 822 5822 to book a bike space on the same train as you ......
by JJF
1 Apr 2015, 7:52pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Clarkson for president - no joke!
Replies: 6
Views: 5053

Re: Clarkson for president - no joke!

What's the date?
by JJF
5 Feb 2015, 10:12pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Northern Germany and Denmark (Trier to Hirtshals)
Replies: 7
Views: 2105

Re: Northern Germany and Denmark (Trier to Hirtshals)

Hello looserlama,
I have cycled on assorted parts of your proposed route but not all of it.

First of all your general questions about the nature of the region.
There are no wild animals or fearsome meteorological problems. You certainly won't experience heat like in Spain. In the vicinity of the North Sea coast the wind can be very strong. My experiences of it suggest that it tends to blow from the south/west so it could be to your advantage in travelling northwards. Hopefully other cyclists will add their comments.

As to your proposed route:
Germany is a cycle friendly country and you will find good cycle paths, sometimes beside main roads.
There is a smooth, level cycle path beside the river Mosel from Trier to Koblenz. The river follows a winding course.

I haven't cycled Koblenz to Kassel but I have cycled Osnabruck, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven. It's all relatively flat countryside with good cycling paths or minor roads.

You are right in saying that Denmark is cycle friendly. I have crossed your probable route but have no particular recommendations. I have no experience of camping. When I was last in Denmark, 15 years ago, Bed and Breakfast accommodation wasn't as common as in the UK. Many people, but not all, speak English
by JJF
2 Jan 2015, 8:49pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Veloscenic France
Replies: 9
Views: 2179

Re: Veloscenic France

A short article about a tour on this route appeared in the latest issue of Cycle mag.(Dec 2014/Jan 2015).
by JJF
8 Dec 2014, 9:47pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Code for buying from Cotswold Outdoor
Replies: 6
Views: 1362

Re: Code for buying from Cotswold Outdoor

Thanks for all responses.
I emailed my question to CTC HQ and learned the procedure.
JJF
by JJF
4 Dec 2014, 10:11pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Code for buying from Cotswold Outdoor
Replies: 6
Views: 1362

Code for buying from Cotswold Outdoor

I've been trying to get the code to buy from Cotswold Outdoor.
When I enter my username to log in it tells me that the username is reserved.
Hopefully it is ....to me.
I thought maybe the problem was that I was already logged in to the forum so I would be logged in twice which might not work. So I logged out of the forum and tried again. Still won't work. Tried logging in using email address. No!

There is something about logging in to the "old site" and the "new site". Is there a new site? How would I know? How would I recognise it?
Can anyone explain?
by JJF
2 Dec 2014, 5:16pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Family cycling holiday recommendations
Replies: 18
Views: 1636

Re: Family cycling holiday recommendations

The river Avon from Avonmouth thro' Bristol, Bath, Kennet and Avon canal and river Thames to just to the west of London provide a continuous cycle route. Mostly towpaths but with occasional bits of road. If you camp somewhere in the middle then you can have two days of very attractive out-and-back rides. Several attractions such as Hampton Court Palace.

If you choose France, Laval in Pays de la Loire has 4 Voies Vertes radiating from it. 2 rivers and 2 former railways. The rivers are attractive but I haven't tried the rail routes. www.af3v.org/-Fiche-VVV-.html?voie=53
by JJF
20 Oct 2014, 9:20pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Cycling the Portuguese coastline
Replies: 11
Views: 3404

Re: Cycling the Portuguese coastline

I cycled a small part of the Portugese coast about 15 years ago.
I crossed the Tagus from Lisbon and headed south. I stayed in a B&B in Sesimbra then went to Setubal and took the ferry across the Rio Sado. From there I cycled down the coast to Villa Nova de Milfontes. As borisface says, it is an interesting and attractive area. The road surfaces were rather variable, generally ok.
I seem to recall that the traffic was light (in contrast to Lisbon which was intense).
For a few days I cycled with a Japanese man. He was camping wild and didn't seem to have any difficulty but I stayed in small hotels or B&Bs.
After Villa Nova I went away from the coast and made a loop eventually back to Lisbon.
by JJF
14 Oct 2014, 9:20pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Scientific Calculator
Replies: 81
Views: 3788

Re: Scientific Calculator

I have a slide rule. In getting it out to remind myself what it looked like I discovered that in its box there is an instruction booklet that cost 9d.
I also have book of Log tables with my military number stamped on it.
by JJF
7 Oct 2014, 7:18pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Ouistreham ferry disembarkation hazard.
Replies: 12
Views: 1790

Re: Ouistreham ferry disembarkation hazard.

I recognise the situation described by greyhead.

My partner and I crossed on the ferry to Ouistreham in mid Sept.
As we left the ferry itself there were half a dozen or so cyclists about 20 yards in front of us. They responded to the marshals' pointing hands by walking along the road/ramp which was empty of traffic. My partner and I decided they wanted us to go along the narrow path on the left, separated from the road by a railing. When we arrived at the landward end the path ended in a drop which seemed like a couple of broken steps. It was necessary to half lift/half wheel the bikes. I was surprised that this was the route offered to cyclists because it was quite unsuitable.

Unlike the OP we had good visibility because it was just after sunrise.
by JJF
29 Sep 2014, 8:49pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Getting to Scandinavia 2
Replies: 3
Views: 546

Getting to Scandinavia 2

BBC TV for eastern counties reported this evening (6.30pm 29 Sept) that a ferry company proposes to start a service Harwich-Esbjerg at Easter 2015. I did a quick search but couldn't find confirmation.
Let's hope that this does happen.
by JJF
25 Jun 2014, 9:26pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Mersey Tunnel
Replies: 38
Views: 17955

Re: Mersey Tunnel

" We built The Mersey Tunnel boys...
Way back in thirty three...
Dug an 'ole in the ground
Until we found
An 'ole called Wallasey...

RIP Stan Kelly died 16 April 2014